Locals and military alike had no idea what they were looking at after a massive unidentified “sea monster” washed up on an Indonesian beach last week.

There was speculation that the 50-foot-long creature was anything from a squid, to an elephant to a newly discovered species. All that speculation can finally be put to rest because the creature has been identified as a baleen whale – most likely.

Based on its skeleton and the fact that it has a baleen, which is a filter-feeder mouth, chief scientist at the Ocean Conservancy, George Leonard, believed it to be a baleen whale. The island the whale was found, Seram, is very close to where baleen whales tend to pass by during their migrating route. It’s bloated appearance as a result of being in the water for so long after its death is the reason for all the confusion as to its identity.